What's it like to work in the NHS?

[LightSpeeds]

I currently work in the third sector and, after over a decade, am seriously considering a job change. My current job is administrative/client-focused.

I'm looking at jobs in the NHS and there are some really interesting admin roles that I seem (mostly) qualified to do. So apart from nursing and doctoring, what's it like working in the NHS? Has anyone ever been a ward clerk?

@Tranquilitybaby
Congrats! Mine is an admin role within the podiatry dept at my small town local hospital. so not as crazy as a big, busy hospital but they did say they are a busy dept, but that’s ok I like to be busy. I’m still waiting for my written offer but was told it could take up to 2 weeks.

I've worked for 4 NHS Trusts directly and have also worked on short projects for 3 more - every NHS Trust is different. Every department is different. And when managers or teams change, the departments change too.

Some of my experience has been really enjoyable; some of my experience has been truly awful. I've had excellent managers and completely inane ones (the more senior they've been, the more likely they are to be mad, in my experience. As one example, at one Trust that was literally falling down around our ears, the senior management team thought it was a jolly good jape to arrange an Easter Egg hunt, just for members of the team, right after a major meeting talking about the larger issues. There are plenty more anecdotes along these lines. One day I will write a book, with names changed to protect the innocent and avoid accusations of libel.)

Consistently, you need to be able to cope with change on a daily basis (the government keeps moving the goal posts every five minutes); you also need to be organised and a good team player.

@fluffyegg do we work for the same trust?

Working in the nhs is shit. I absolutely regret my choice of degree and will never recommend working / training in the nhs. Bullying is rife from managers. Higher management give jobs to their friends with no health care experience, no under standing of the shop floor and then make the most ridiculous decisions (we’d apply for the managers roles.. but we’re not in their in-crowd and actually have experience to back decisions up with). Patients who are rude and expect the world. patients who remind us almost daily that they pay our wages and we should do what they say. Of course there’s the odd nice patient but they are the minority.

I’m only on mn now (at 4:30am) as I can’t sleep as too busy worrying about things at work tomorrow..
the nhs will literally squeeze the life out of you.
(I’m in a small general hospital in EA)